Francis Ngannou Says, ‘Fighting Jon Jones Is Bigger Than A UFC Title’

Francis Ngannou is still holding out hope that a fight with Jon Jones will happen. Ngannou parted ways with the UFC and signed with the PFL earlier this year, putting a major hurdle in a potential fight with Jones. The UFC isn’t too interested in co-promotion, but Ngannou says the PFL would be okay with him facing heavyweight champion Jones in the Octagon.

This time, Jon Jones’ encounter with the police is friendly. “It’s possible, but they have to go to the PFL now,” Ngannou said on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience. “The PFL is ready for that,” Rogan asked Ngannou what would happen if he beat Jones and became UFC champion, which Ngannou realized would be a problem. But the former heavyweight champion says fighting Jones isn’t about the belt for him.

“I don’t know, maybe it will be a special fight – a special belt or something, maybe not like a UFC belt,” Ngannou said. «To be honest, I’m not worried about the title. The title is not what worries me. I’m worried about that fight, that challenge.

“I wouldn’t worry if it were a non-title fight. In my mind, I don’t need a UFC title. That fight is bigger than a title. The fight is bigger than a title. Deep down, I still have a little hope, even though I know it’s going to be difficult. But you never know”. Ngannou makes his boxing debut against Tyson Fury in a 10-round heavyweight bout on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Jones will make his first title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 on Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York.